With
his courage and dash, and the marriage to Caroline
Bonaparte, it was a certainty he'd become a marshal in 1804.

An
important part of the French army's command, Murat was the perfect
harasser of retreating enemies, but his intervention at Eylau
saved the battle for Bonaparte and was arguably the high point
of his military career.

Journeying
to Spain in 1808, Murat was
partly responsible for the uprising in that country, as his repression
of the Madrid insurrection was harsh.

Leaving
Spain because of poor health, he was given the kingdom of Naples
and ruled his adopted nation well.

Returning
to Naples temporarily, he rejoined Bonaparte for the 1813
Campaign in Germany. Fighting at Dresden,
Wachau and Leipzig, he eventually
negotiated with the emperor's enemies to save his own throne.

In
1815 he tried to assist Bonaparte during the
100 Days' Campaign by fomenting a revolt in northern Italy,
but acted too soon and the attempt failed.

The
defeat of Waterloo forced him
to try to regain his own kingdom, but he was arrested and shot.